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A MERIC A N

SHOOTING JOURNAL Volume 8 // Issue 11 // August 2019 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim CONTRIBUTORS Robert Brantley, Jim Dickson, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, Mike Nesbitt SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Celina Martin, Jake Weipert PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Kelly Baker, McKenna Boulet WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@americanshootingjournal.com

ON THE COVER O.F. Mossberg & Sons has a proud 100-year tradition as a family-owned gun manufacturing business, with products that have ranged from innovative pistols to famed shotguns to new offerings like the MVP Patrol Rifle.

(KEVIN HOUTZ/MOSSBERG)

Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn

MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S. Ste. 190 • Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

CONTENTS

24

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 11

O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS: AMERICA’S LAST GREAT FAMILY-OWNED GUN MAKER

(O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS INC.)

“A hard-working man of known talent and imagination” is how our resident historian Frank Jardim describes Oscar Frederick Mossberg (center), who, along with sons Harold and Iver, founded the iconic family firearms manufacturing business 100 years ago. Take a stroll through the company’s archives, and then check out three of Mossberg’s latest offerings: the MC1sc 9mm Subcompact Pistol, MVP Precision Bolt-Action Rifle and 590 Shockwave Pump Action shotgun.

FEATURES 36

45

ALL HAIL THE KING, PART II There’s long-range shooting, and then there’s the King of 2 Miles.

Competitor Robert Brantley, who won last year’s event, shares how 2019’s three-day KO2M match went for the 80 sharpshooters and their teams who gathered in northern New Mexico last month.

BLACK POWDER: 2019 QUIGLEY BUFFALO RIFLE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS There’s more to Montana’s big black powder cartridge match than just gun smoke and far-off targets. Mike Nesbitt takes a stroll through “Traders’ Row” at the temporary town of “Quigleyville” to limber up for the big doins’, competing for the title of best buffalo rifle shooter at the shindig named for the famed movie character played by Tom Selleck.

53

ROAD HUNTER: PUP’S FIRST FALL HUNTS CAN BE KEY September offers good chances to get your new gun dog out after birds like doves and grouse, but you don’t want to mess up such a key moment at the start of a budding hunting pup’s career. Scott Haugen shares his tips for making the most of the early season with your young pooch.

71

95 65

GROUNDHOGS: UNDERRATED, OVERLOOKED SMALL GAME Call them whistlepigs, woodchucks or whatnot, these eastern burrowers can provide good small game hunting – and meatier meals than rabbits and squirrels. Jim Dickson has a primer for matching wits with wary groundhogs, and what to do with your harvest and their fur.

BULLET BULLETIN: LEADING WITH LEAD “Whether you’re headed to Alaska, Africa or Australia, or planning a hunt for elk, moose or bear in the contiguous 48, you can’t go wrong in choosing a Trophy Bonded Bear Claw.” So says our ammo expert Phil Massaro, who details the development of this Federal line.

HOW TO TAKE THE M96 MAUSER PISTOL APART AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER Eugene Golubtsov is known as “Lugerman” for his dedication to the M1907 U.S. Army Test Trials Luger, but he’s also a whiz at stripping down the M96 Mauser Military Pistol and putting it back together. Jim Dickson teams up with Eugene to illustrate this delicate but doable task that’s baffled “some of the best army ordnance men in America and England.”

AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2019 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

CONTENTS 113 PRODUCT REVIEW: A NEW ANGLE ON ANKLE CARRY

When concealment and retention are everything, Cheata Tactical’s Gun Sox fills the bill. Jim Dickson reviews this lower leg holster that holds small to midsize handguns in place above the ankle and is “so comfortable and secure you will forget you are carrying.”

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NRA PERSONAL PROTECTION EXPO

With the National Rifle Association’s Personal Protection Expo coming up in September in Fort Worth, Texas, here’s a look at some of the products to keep an eye on if you’re in the market for carrying concealed, or need a safe, bullets or more.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Company SPOTLIGHTS Lucid Optics: Introducing new brand ambassador, Omar ‘Crispy’ Avila 117 Rainbow Technology: Building on signature Steel Target Paint line with more shooting products 93

DEPARTMENTS

17 Competition Calendar 21 Gun Show Calendar

PRIMER

COMPETITION C A L E N D A R

AUGUST 9-10

August 16-18

AUGUST 10-11

August 17

Potomac Grail Cowboy IDPA Thurmont, Md. idpa.com

Washington State IDPA Championship Centralia, Wash.

august 16-18

Michigan State IDPA Championship Romulus, Mich.

De Beque, Colo.

August 23-25

August 11

2019 Northern Rockies Section Championships East Missoula, Mont.

2019 EGW Area 8 Championship New Tripoli, Pa. 2019 Illinois Sectional Havana, Ill.

August 31-September 1

2019 Washington State USPSA Championship Custer, Wash.

August 3-4

August 17-18

August 3-4

August 24-25

Northwestern Regional Classic XXIV Port Townsend, Wash.

August 10-11

Magic City Glock Challenge IV Billings, Mont.

Keystone State Ballistic Challenge XXIII Topton, Pa. Northern California Regional Classic XXVI Richmond, Calif.

August 24-25

Midwest Regional Classic XXVIII Hallsville, Mo.

August 9

August 17-18

August 10

August 24-25

Starline Brass Missouri State Fair Classic Sedalia, Mo. Massachusetts State Championship Norfolk, Mass.

August 10

Mississippi State Championship Shoot Meridian, Miss.

Ohio State Championship Wooster, Ohio Wisconsin State Championship Deerfield, Wis.

August 31-September 2 Wyoming State Finals Lusk, Wyo.

August 8-10

August 16

August 9-10

August 17-18

Senior Open PTO Redlands, Calif.

August 2019 PTO at the University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah usashooting.org

Colorado State Championship

August 9-10

Virginia Ballistic Challenge I Bluefield, Va.

cmsaevents.com

August 31-September 1

August 22-25

2019 New Mexico Section Championship Edgewood, N.M.

gssfonline.com

Tennessee State IDPA Championship Match Spencer, Tenn.

August 1-4

2019 Hornady Area 3 Championship Alda, Neb.

uspsa.org

New England Regional Championship Harvard, Mass.

August 9-11

2019 USAS Pre-Trials Trap PTO Kerrville, Texas

2019 USAS Skeet Pre-Trials PTO Kerrville, Texas Team Shooting Stars Airgun, Pistol PTO Carrollton, Texas

August 23-25

Buckeye Bunker Open Cincinnati, Ohio

americanshootingjournal.com 17

PRS RESOURCE GUIDE Bolt Gun Series August 2 August 10 August 16 August 23 August 24 September 7 September 13 September 14 September 21 September 28 September 28 October 4 October 12

Parma Precision Rifle Rumble MPS Summer Shootout Defy the Distance Lights Out 2019 Big Dog Steel Fall Challenge Meaford Long Range Steel Challenge Federal Gold Medal Match Open Range Shooters Retreat Pigg River Precision H.A.M Bushnell Tactical Vapor Trail Steel Siege Reveille Peak Ranch Open GAP Grind Bushnell Tactical Pro/Am Bakersfield Long Range Round Up

Parma, Idaho Blakely, Georgia Three Forks, Montana Ninnekah, Oklahoma Kimbolton, Ohio Meaford, Ontario Carbon Hill, Alabama Ramona, Oklahoma Rocky Mount, Virginia Spickard, Missouri Burnet, Texas Finger, Tennessee Bakersfield, California

For more information visit www.precisionrifleseries.com

PARTS, ACCESSORIES & GEAR

See us on page 19

See us on page 18

See us on page 38

Custom Rifle Actions www.defiancemachine.com 406-756-2727 americanshootingjournal.com 19

THE REAL TEXAS

GUN SHOW GUNS | AMMO | KNIVES | BUY | SELL | TRADE | LOOK

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

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August 3-4

Sharonville, Ohio

Sharonville Convention Center

August 10-11

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Winston-Salem, N.C.

Winston-Salem Fairgrounds

August 17-18

Harrisburg, Pa.

PA Farm Show Complex

August 31-Sept. 1

Springfield, Ohio

Clark County Fairgrounds

August 3-4

Ontario, Calif.

Ontario Convention Center

August 10-11

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The Pavilions

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OC Fair

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Findlay Toyota Center

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Ventura County Fairgrounds

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Lee County Civic Center

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Charles F. Dodge City Center

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Central Florida Fairgrounds

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Florida State Fairgrounds

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Osage Centre

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Oklahoma State Fair Park

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Mid-TN Expo Center

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Colorado Springs Event Center

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KCI Expo Center

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Knoxville, Tenn.

Knoxville Expo Center

August 24-25

Lawrenceville, Ga.

Gwinnett County Fairgrounds

August 31-Sept. 1

East Ridge, Tenn.

Camp Jordan Arena

Real Texas Gun Shows

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Williamson County Expo Center

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None scheduled

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Southwest Washington Fairgrounds

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Deschutes County Fair Expo Center

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To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.

americanshootingjournal.com 21

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In a time when most businesses are cutting costs by moving their manufacturing out of the country, we’re digging in our heels and putting down deeper roots. We believe it’s far too easy for things assembled overseas to be built to a lower standard.

We don’t do things that way. We build things we would want to own, things that can stand the test of time. We make sure your hard-earned money stays here. And we make sure you can be damn proud of the products you purchase from us.

At Liberty Safe, we strive every day to live up to the promise that “Made in America” stands for. Our safes are built here, and they’re built better.

That’s our promise. www.libertysafe.com

AMERICAN REBEL American Rebel’s Black Smoke Safes represent the strength and rugged independence that America was built upon. They’re constructed of pressure-formed American-made 11-gauge steel, three times stronger than 14-gauge steel used in most China-built containers. The door uses 11-gauge inner steel and a multi-layer 7/16-inch edge reinforcement – six times stronger than imported safes.

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• Six different sizes to choose from – home safes to 50-gun safes, we have you covered.

• High finished gloss exterior paint with three different color trims to choose from, outlet kit, automated light kit, electronic lock, and deluxe five-spoke handle all included at one low cost.

• Home delivery available. www.americanrebel.com

V-LINE INDUSTRIES The Slide-Away is one of V-Line’s American-made multipurpose heavy-duty, quick-access security cases. The SlideAway is constructed of heavy-duty 12-gauge steel with a rugged tactical black powder coating. The smooth operating large pullout drawer sits on ball bearing-assisted slides. The drawer is large enough to hold an iPad-style tablet or two 1911-type firearms with room to spare for extra magazines.

The Slide-Away is versatile enough to mount underneath a desktop or in a small area, as long as there is about 4.25 inches of clearance. It comes standard with a quick-release mounting bracket for both bottom and top mounting. This is a California DOJ-approved firearms safety device. www.vlineind.com

americanshootingjournal.com 23

O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS: THE AMAZING ORIGINS OF THE

LAST GREAT FAMILY-OWNED

AMERICAN GUN MAKER Renowned manufacturer of shotguns, as well as rifles and handguns, turns 100 years old in 2019.

STORY BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY O.F. MOSSBERG & SONS INC.

Oscar Mossberg (center) and sons Harold and Iver around 1920 outside the Greene Street, New Haven, Connecticut, location they moved to when their brand new company outgrew its first rented loft.

T

his year, one of America’s great firearms manufacturers turns 100 years old. Founded in 1919, O.F. Mossberg & Sons grew a reputation for producing quality, innovative guns for the civilian market at reasonable prices. Their engineering creativity is in evidence in more than 100 design and utility patents they originated.

Since 1961 the product most readily associated with the company has been their excellent Model 500 pump shotgun. In 1970, twin action bars replaced the single one and this shotgun remains a flagship product to this day with over 12 million sold. The popularity of the Model 500 tends to obscure the fact that Mossberg made just about everything at one time or another: self-defense pistols, bolt-action, lever-action and semiauto rifles from .22 to .450 Bushmaster, and bolt-action, pump and autoloading shotguns from .410-gauge to 12-gauge 3½ inch. In fact, Mossberg pioneered the latter powerful chambering to the delight of turkey and goose hunters.

The Mossberg philosophy from the start was to deliver, as a book title described it, “more gun for the money.” With efficient design and manufacturing processes, they kept costs low and put shooting sports within the reach of people of modest means without sacrificing their products’ performance. No American, whether they drove a Cadillac or rode the bus to work, was embarrassed to say, “I shoot a Mossberg.”

Today, O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc. is America’s largest manufacturer of shotguns and, unlike other big name American gun makers, the company is still family-owned and -operated.

Fourth generation Iver Mossberg is the CEO. He comes to work in their North Haven, Connecticut, headquarters every day.

And unlike some corporately owned or publicly traded gun makers over the years, Mossberg’s personal dedication to defending the Second Amendment has never been questioned. Despite Connecticut’s firearms manufacturing

A family business with a family atmosphere – Mossberg’s 1945 company softball team.

“The Mossberg philosophy from the start was to deliver, as a book title described it, ‘more gun for the money,’” writes author and historian Frank Jardim. “No American, whether they drove a Cadillac or rode the bus to work, was embarrassed to say, ‘I shoot a Mossberg. americanshootingjournal.com 25’”

heritage, its state legislators are predominantly, and increasingly, anti-gun. In 2014 this led Mossberg to decide against expanding their operations there and instead shifted the majority of their manufacturing facilities to gun-friendly Texas. Now only a small percentage of their manufacturing (less than 10 percent) and their administrative offices remain in Connecticut.

LIKE A GREAT GOLDEN Age comic book superhero, O.F. Mossberg & Sons has an amazing origin story that begins with its founder, Oscar Frederick Mossberg. Born in Sweden in a small village in 1866, he showed exceptional mechanical aptitude while still a boy and learned the boilermakers trade.

Emigrating to America in 1886 in search of a better life, he saw the Statue of Liberty as his steamship sailed through New York harbor and then waited in line in the great hall at Ellis Island alongside the hundreds of other foreign-born men, women and children seeking entry to the land of opportunity. When his turn came before the uniformed customs inspector, the 20-year-old answered his questions satisfactorily and looked healthy enough to be granted entrance.

Mossberg sought work among his fellow Swedes and soon settled in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The year 1892 was a major milestone for him. In that year he got married and began working at Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works – making not guns but bicycles! The 26-yearold’s natural engineering talents were quickly noted and he soon became heavily involved in design work that culminated in numerous patents that made Iver Johnson’s modestly priced, top-break pocket revolvers wildly successful. His contributions, though not always under his name, were important and many sources credit him with the development of the “Hammer the Hammer” safety system, which was a major marketing feature of Iver Johnson revolvers at a time when most revolvers could be expected to discharge if dropped.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

“A hard-working man of known talent and imagination,” Swedish immigrant Mossberg held numerous patents as he refined his gunmaking skills, first for other companies, then his own.

Mossberg was allowed to work on his own inventions in the factory after hours and by the time he left Iver Johnson in 1900, he already held several patents in his own name. He was a hard-working man of known talent and imagination. As a father of three, he worked for a series of New England-based firearms makers, where he continued to invent and patent. He worked for C.S. Shattuck Arms Company from 1900 to 1902, J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company until 1916, and then for the MarlinRockwell Corporation until 1919.

At Marlin-Rockwell, Mossberg was deeply involved with machinegun production for U.S. Army contracts

The Brownie pistol

and designed the synchronization mechanisms that allowed the guns to fire between the blades of an aircraft’s spinning propeller. After the armistice, the company began to rapidly downsize and at 53 years old, he knew it was time for the Mossbergs to be in business for themselves. Stretching the family resources to the limit, the partnership of O.F. Mossberg & Sons was formed while Oscar and his oldest son Iver still worked at Marlin-Rockwell.

The new partnership’s first product was not a shotgun as you might guess, but the Brownie pocket pistol, designed and patented by Oscar. It was an extremely well-made, four-barreled .22-caliber double action with lines that were quite advanced for the time. Around 37,000 guns were made from 1920 to 1932. During that time, Mossberg conservatively made progressive improvements to their production facilities as the availability of capital from stock sold to friends and family permitted. Increased efficiency reduced production costs and allowed them to make the Brownie more affordable by reducing its retail price nearly 50 percent.

Historians Victor and Cheryl Havlin recount in their book Mossberg: More Gun for the Money: The History of O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., how hard the early days of the

cash-strapped company were. Despite their countless hours of hard work, the partners couldn’t always meet all their company expenses or even afford to pay themselves adequately, so they needed side jobs. Brothers Iver and Harold were both musicians and had night jobs playing in an orchestra.

But since they only had one tuxedo between them, they could never both perform at the same time.

AFTER BUSINESS STABILIZED IN the 1920s, O.F. Mossberg & Sons was able to add long guns to their single pistol product line. They remained focused on delivering affordable quality to their customers, which put them in a position to thrive during the Great Depression. When larger, high-end gun makers saw their sales plummet, Mossberg expanded by making .22 rifles and bolt-action shotguns that average working-class people could afford to buy and shoot. Those guns put food on many a family’s table and introduced many others to the fun of shooting sports.

The Brownie pistol was O.F. Mossberg & Sons’ first official product, but it was not the first complete firearm designed by Oscar, nor his first to see production.

Reviewing his patents, it’s clear he had several handgun designs, including an autoloading pistol.

Though they are over a century old, the pistols appear remarkably modern in form and illustrate his ingenious, innovative thinking.

Oscar Mossberg actually designed and manufactured his first complete pistol in 1907, 12 years before he formed O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The weapon was an imaginative and very compact double-action, .22-caliber, four-barrel palm pistol. It was fired with the barrels gripped in the web of the thumb and forefinger while the trigger was pulled with the index finger. In this manner the weapon could be discharged four times in rapid succession from inside the trouser pocket while standing, and presumably facing, a threatening ruffian. It was patented by Mossberg in 1906 as the Novelty Pistol but later marketed 28

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Mossberg ads over the years have included actor-sportsman Robert Stack and the guys from Duck Dynasty, along with the company’s many rifle, AR-style, shotgun and handgun offerings.

under the names Invisible Defender and Unique. Oscar Mossberg initially manufactured the pistol himself in the barn behind his residence with the help of his teenage sons Iver and Harold. In 1909 he sold the manufacturing rights to his former employer, C.S. Shattuck Arms Company, which manufactured the gun until 1919. Mossberg frugally set aside that money for Iver and Harold’s college education.

When his sons weren’t in school or working with him in their backyard gun factory, they were learning about manufacturing by working on the J. Stevens factory floor, no doubt by their father’s arrangement. Both boys graduated Worchester Polytechnical

Institute. Oscar got Iver a position with Marlin-Rockwell, where he worked briefly. When younger Harold graduated, he went right to work for their newly formed family partnership.

SO THERE YOU HAVE the genesis of a

great American gun maker and the great American family that founded it.

The imagination and inventive spirit from which O.F. Mossberg & Sons was born continues to this day, as does their focus on giving American shooters a lot of gun for their hardearned money. Attentiveness to the desires of the consumer is one of the

Invisible Defender

secrets of Mossberg’s success and I’ll point out three recent products that exemplify that: the MC1sc 9mm pistol, MVP Precision bolt-action rifle, and the 590 Shockwave shotgun.

MC1sc 9mm Subcompact Pistol Mossberg chose their 100th anniversary in 2019 to introduce their first handgun since 1919. Like the Brownie a century before, their new 9mm MC1sc is oriented to the selfdefense market. The acronym stands for Mossberg Carry 1 subcompact and the pistol shows they’ve given a lot of thought to the features people want in a concealed carry handgun in order to challenge the immensely popular Glock 43 subcompact 9mm head-on with an MSRP that’s $155 less.

As one would expect today, the MC1sc is striker-fired and recoiloperated with a polymer frame, the usual trigger-blade safety and rated for +P ammo. It’s every bit as lean a gun as the Glock 43 subcompact at barely an inch wide at its thickest point and 6.25 inches long, and it has features and factory options the Glock doesn’t.

The MC1sc is a sleeker gun and fully dehorned for a fast and unfettered draw. In addition to rounding all the corners, Mossberg fitted it with rugged steel (not polymer!), low-profile, three-dot, drift-adjustable sights. The dovetail size matches the SIG #8 pattern, which allows users a wide range of sight choices if the Mossberg standard or factory optional Tru-glo tritium night sights don’t suit their tastes. It’s also available with a factory-installed 30

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

9mm MC1sc

Viridian targeting laser that fits snuggly beneath the barrel.

The MC1sc comes with a pair of different Mossberg, indestructible, Clear-Count transparent polymer magazines that allow instant visual assessment of ammo supply when dropping the magazine. The compact six-round magazine fits flush with the bottom of the grip and the seven-round magazine includes a grip-extending floor plate. (Fully loaded with six rounds and one in the chamber, it weighs 22 ounces, which is slightly more than an ounce heavier than the

six-plus-one capacity Glock 43.)

The MC1sc has some ergonomic advantages as well. The shooter’s grip is enhanced by aggressively textured grip panels, a palm swell, two subtle finger grooves on the front strap, and sculpting of the frame to slim it down immediately behind the triggerguard.

The slide has front and rear gripping serrations. Control of the excellent 6-pound trigger pull during its ½ inch of travel is enhanced by a flat trigger face. Like the Glock, the MC1sc magazine release can be switched around for left-handed shooters.

Unlike the Glock, there is a factory optional cross-bolt safety.

Knowing that many firearms accidents result from negligent discharges during cleaning, Mossberg designed the MC1sc to be field stripped without ever needing to touch, much less pull, the trigger. It’s

called the Safe Takedown System and Oscar Mossberg, who spent a lot of time designing guns to be safer, would have been delighted by it.

The MC1sc build and material quality is top-notch. The gun comes

only in a business-like black, the stainless steel slide and barrel protected by DLC (diamond-like coating). It runs reliably, shoots straight, and its online pricing is running about $100 lower than

The MVP Precision bolt-action rifle is now available in .224 Valkyrie.

the $425 MSRP. Extra magazines are less than $20 too. The MC1sc is a lot more gun for the money. If you already have a Glock 43, the Mossberg can use its magazines and holsters too.

The rifle’s bolt is designed to feed 7.62mm NATO from common detachable magazines.

MVP Precision Bolt-Action Rifle In the realm of rifles, Mossberg sensed an unmet consumer desire for a centerfire bolt-action rifle’s accuracy with the magazine capacity of a modern sporting rifle, and engineers created their versatile MVP line with that functionality in mind.

The common features shared by all the MVP rifles are: the ability to feed from standard AR-15 magazines (.308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO caliber rifles feed from any M14, LR-3 and SR-25 magazines), suppressoror muzzle device-ready threaded muzzles, and a user-adjustable trigger pull weight from 3 to 7 pounds patented by Mossberg as the Lightning Bolt Action Trigger (LBA).

The MVP rifle comes in six basic models: Predator, LR (Long Range) Scout, Patrol, LC (Light Chassis) and Precision rifle. Each configuration has additional unique features to enhance

it for its intended application and/or customize it to the shooter.

The MVP Precision is the 1,000-meter, needle-slender, heavy weight, long-range, tack driver of the line. Designed for competition and target shooters, it is chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO, and now, for the first time, .224 Valkyrie.

These rifles use medium weight bull barrels fluted for extra rigidity and tip the scales at 10 pounds for the 24-inch 6.5mm Creedmoor and 9.2 pounds for the 20-inch-long 7.62mm NATO and .224 Valkyrie.

Mossberg designed the polymer and aluminum stock chassis with its long, hexagonal, slim-profiled, free-float, front handguard with M-Lok cuts its full length on all sides for the easy and solid mounting of a wide range of aftermarket accessories (bipod,

sling-swivel base, light, etc.). The triggerguard is enlarged and the bolt is heavily scalloped on the underside for clearance when wearing gloves.

A single run of Picatinny rail bridges the top of the action from end to end, providing ample space for optics while maintaining perfect alignment with two-piece mounts. Not to reinvent the wheel, the MVP Precision utilizes Magpul’s MOE+ pistol grip and 10-round PMAG magazine, and LuthAR’s excellent MBA three-position buttstock with adjustments for length of pull, cast and comb height. The MSRP is $1,400 and online retail was as low as $850.

590 Shockwave Pump Action Firearm Compact shotguns have always been attractive, if not practical, options for close-quarters defense. Prior to 2017, the most compact ones that didn’t require NFA registration had a vertical pistol grip and were no shorter than 26 inches in overall length with the legally required 18inch barrel. They were murder on the wrist, in addition to being hard to aim.

32

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Mossberg’s recent Shockwave family of pump-action firearms, based on the 590 shotgun action, changes all that. The Shockwaves are still just over the legally required minimum 26-inch length, but they are much less abusive to the wrist because they utilize a long, birdshead-style grip made by Shockwave Industries. Having a longer grip, and not ever having been fitted

with a buttstock, a weapon of this type didn’t fit the legal definition of an NFA firearm and could be manufactured with a shorter barrel, as long as overall length was at least 26 inches. Thus, because of its longer grip, the 590 Shockwave can have a shorter barrel of 14.3 inches long. Mossberg was the first major firearms maker to create a product line specifically to take

590 Shockwave with Crimson Trace Laser Saddle Option

590M Shockwave

Magazines for the 590M Shockwave are available in five-, 10-, 15- and 20-round capacities.

advantage of this.

The shorter barreled Shockwave is much handier on the business end than the old-style 18-inch-barreled shotguns and it requires no NFA registration or tax stamp. A 14-inch barrel also puts your pumping hand uncomfortably close to the muzzle, so all Shockwaves come equipped with a retention strap on the forend that you slip your fingers through to hold them out of harm’s way. They also use a heavy-walled barrel like the standard 590 and have Mossberg’s familiar and convenient sliding safety on the tang.

The 14.3-inch-barreled, 12-, 20- and .410-gauge Shockwaves use a tubular magazine with a five-round capacity with 2¾-inch shells (four rounds with 3-inch shells).

For the most firepower for your buck, the 590M Shockwave is designed to feed from Mossberg’s patented detachable box magazines available in five-, 10-, 15- and 20-round capacities.

The Mossberg magazine is by far the best designed and most rugged on the market, made of polymer and steel with a solid lock up in the receiver, ambidextrous release, and a surprisingly compact size because the shells are double stacked.

Because it acts like a lever, the Shockwave grip is much easier to support and fire one-handed than the old vertical pistol grip. However, 34

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

realistically, one-handed shooting is less than ideal with a 5-pound firearm packing this kind of punch. Aiming from the hip or chest provides better accuracy, but the Shockwave, like its vertical pistol-grip predecessors, was still of limited practical use beyond extreme close range. Fortunately, there was a game-changing solution near at hand in the Crimson Trace Laser Saddle sight, which is now a factory installed option.

Crimson Trace saw that laser sighting was the Shockwave’s missing component and designed a sight for the application. Mossberg agreed and was instantly on board. The red laser dot takes the guesswork out of aiming the Shockwave when held in positions that don’t permit sighting over the barrel. In other words, all the positions that you would be able to best control it and keep control of it in a dangerous encounter. With the laser sight, the 590 Shockwave is a formidably accurate and powerful

tool of self-defense that can be effectively brought to bear by a person with minimal firearms experience or training. Home invaders beware!

The Crimson Trace Laser Saddle fits closely over the receiver, has three activation touch pads, is fully adjustable for windage and elevation, and has a long battery life extended by its timed automatic shut-off feature. It also fits any Mossberg 500 or 590 series shotgun. The 590 Shockwave has several other factory options, like a five-round extra shell carrier, breecher muzzle, barrel heat shield, 18-inch barrel, Picatinny rail, and even a chainsaw-style foregrip.

The MSRP on the 12-gauge 590 Shockwave is $455 without the Crimson Trace Laser Saddle, and $595 with it. Online retail is more like $300 and $450, respectively.  Editor’s note: For more information on Mossberg products, contact your local firearms retailer or visit mossberg.com.

ALL HAIL THE

K II NG! PART 2 A new champ is crowned at the extreme longrange match featuring a target 2 miles away.

STORY BY ROBERT BRANTLEY • PHOTOS BY BILL GRIFFIS

A

fter winning last year’s King of 2 Miles competition – a three-day extreme long-range match featuring some of the best shooters from around the world – returning to the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, to compete this year was very exciting and highly anticipated. Knowing that no previous winning team has ever made the finale the next year definitely added an extra level of pressure. My team at Manners Composite Stocks decided to take a similar approach as we did last year. Running raw horsepower, simple strategy and minimal gear is easy to manage on the clock and makes for easy transitions between targets.

Paul Phillips and the Global Precision Group team took home first place at this year’s King of 2 Miles extreme long-range shooting competition.

Author Robert Brantley takes the shot while his teammate spots.

americanshootingjournal.com 37

Brantley used handloaded .416-caliber MCS rounds tipped with 550-grain Cutting Edge bullets, which travel at a reported 3,100 feet per second once fired.

I had two goals for this match. One was to make the finale. Just making it into the top 10 qualifiers would have been a win to me, just to break history.

The second was to clean the qualifying run. Last year we only missed one shot and I know that the course of fire is cleanable under good conditions.

This year organizers changed the match up a bit; they made some target sizes smaller and they changed how many people qualified for the finale. This year, the top 20 percent of competitors were awarded finale slots, which meant that up to 16

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

One of four targets at the KO2M competition shows just how far shooters had to reach. Targets begin at 1.5 miles and stretch to just over 2 miles, though nobody hit the longest this year.

competitors would duke it out in the final run! A lot can change in those rounds when the point value of targets is so high. With ranges starting at 2,614 yards and heavy multipliers, you’d better be on your game for the finale!

I WAS RANDOMLY picked to run on day one. My conditions weren’t great but they weren’t too bad either. Just enough condition changes to keep you on your toes. We had a decent run but not what I wanted.

Organizers put many of us team

shooters very close together and that put a major rush when our slot was up to shoot. So my run started with me running the wrong profile on my solver. My teammate Tom Manners was up just before me and I had his profile still on my phone, so the cold bore shot was way off! I saw it hit really low in my scope and quickly milled the difference to determine how much I was off. I saw about 2 mils and knew there was a major issue. Instead of making a correction on the fly for the first target, I decided to take the time to go through my phone to see what I

The Manners Composite Stocks team and Brantley, winner of the 2018 competition, had another great run this year, ending up a close second.

could find. I went to my other profiles and saw one that told me to add an additional 1.9 MRAD. I knew this would get me on target.

I used the excellent Hornady 4-DOF app, which is incredibly accurate and super easy to use. In fact it’s so easy to use, I got complacent and made a mistake. When I duplicated my profile to build Manners’ profile, I didn’t rename it so I pulled his up on accident.

That may explain my first wild shot.

This is what the time constraints of competition can make you do.

After putting my faith in this profile, I went to target one and achieved a first-round hit after my SWAG of a wind call since I got a risky call from my cold bore. We got a few hits there and were able to progress to all of the other targets and get hits on them all along the way. That run ended up as the best that day and put me in first place.

That gave me a boost of confidence that I would make the finale.

THE CONDITIONS FOR day two would be what decided my fate. When the shooting began, there were definitely some great runs. Paul Phillips, Derek Rodgers, Bryan Litz, Walt Wilkinson, Mitch Fitzpatrick and the other 40

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

contenders made good runs and all placed within the top 10. They had some great conditions and didn’t waste any time making the best of it. I knew I would have to perform on the finale to be able to keep up.

On the final run, we still did pretty good; we achieved a first-round impact on target one with some following impacts. We hit target one more than any other shooters.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get on target two within my allotted rounds; I had to go into my 2-mile rounds to buy in to proceed. We moved up from fifth to a real close second place finish. Less than the value of one target separated us from the win. I couldn’t let myself get too down as we at least crushed our goal of making the finale.

Overall we were very happy with

our performance and finish. Not only making the finale but bringing in a podium finish was icing on the cake. Another thing that made me proud was that most all of the top ELR competitors were in the finale, making it a run against the titans.

Many of them I look up to and respect, so it was special to me to be able to shoot alongside those guys. I was also happy to give a respectable finish to my sponsors. I run gear that is not as popular in this discipline, so it means a lot to show that it is competitive in the field as well.

Along with our company, Manners Stocks, we represented Bushnell, Badger Ordnance, RCBS, Hornady, Bartlein Barrels, Cutting Edge, and Armageddon Gear. It is all gear I know I can trust across shooting styles.

A close-up look at Brantley’s long-range weapon of choice, which features a Manners composite stock, Bartlein barrel, BAT action, Badger rings and Bushnell scope.

We are looking to make another run in 2020 and we’re hoping to sustain our royal status. This bug has bitten me and I’m ready to do some more. Anytime you can pull the bang switch, watch the bullet fly, and see an impact over five seconds later is always a thrill. I’ll keep with the PRS circuit that I normally compete in, but will be putting a few ELR events on my calendar and hopefully get tuned up for next year.

Until next time, I hope to see y’all on the range!  Editor’s note: For more on the King of 2 Miles competition, see the July issue of American Shooting Journal.

THE KING IS CROWNED

Derek Rodgers, also a Global Precision Group shooter and 2017 KO2M winner, finished third.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Here are the top five finishers of the 2019 King of 2 Miles competition: 1. Paul Phillips 2. Robert Brantley 3. Derek Rodgers 4. Mark Lonsdale 5. Mitch Fitzpatrick

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BLACK POWDER

HIGHLIGHTS FROM QUIGLEY 2019

Shane Kraft, top shooter at this year’s Quigley Down Under-inspired Buffalo Rifle Match in southeast Montana.

There’s more to June’s big Montana Buffalo Rifle match than just fine shooting.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT

T

his year the weather was much better for the 28th annual Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match and, of course, so was the shooting. That good shooting was reflected in higher scores for a lot of shooters (but not me). Both the ninth and tenth place shooters had scores of 39 hits, which means other shooters in the top 10 had scores in the 40s. That is very impressive. There are 48 possible points for this match and in all the years of Quigley, no one has aced it with 48 hits.

But last year’s heavy rains didn’t entirely forget us. The shooting was concluded at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, Father’s Day. Then, just about a half an hour later, the skies opened up and it dumped on us. That was nature’s way of making sure those of us who camped in tents would be going home with wet canvas, again.

First, let me salute the top 10 shooters. They are, beginning with first place: Shane Kraft, Vernon Gladney, Pat Derenburger, Steve Farringer, Bill Clendenen, Edward Tilton, Steve Bockman, Steve Heise, Kurt Altenburg and Ash Garman. They’re the ones

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who did the very best shooting, but talking about them now means I’m beginning this story at the end …

MY PARTNER ALLEN CUNNIFF and I got to “Quigleyville,” outside Forsyth in southeastern Montana, late on Tuesday afternoon. That gave us a couple of days for shooting practice

and seeing the sights on “Traders’ Row.” Seeing the “sights” is a good way to put it because C. Sharps Arms had their rifle sights on sale with a 15-percent discount. (I took advantage of that.) Shopping along the row at Quigleyville is certainly one of the highlights and I was able to get everything from wads for reloading americanshootingjournal.com 45

BLACK POWDER

Rob Dickerson with his Hopkins & Allen from C.S.A.

to new shirts. “Bear” from Buffalo Hats was there again, too, and he was usually doing very good business.

Also, it was while at Quigley that C. Sharps Arms sold the very first of their copies of the Hopkins & Allen .22. That gun went to Rob Dickerson, whom I have known for about 40 years. Rob selected a .22 Magnum as his “little” .22, but Allen and I both ordered ours in .22 Long Rifle. Our rifles will be finished, maybe, in a few weeks.

Another business on Traders’ Row was Roberson Cartridge Company and Jeff Roberson made sure we were invited for breakfast at their “camp.”

Roberson was offering free breakfast burritos and, take it from me, those were mighty good.

One trader on the row who I was looking forward to seeing was

John Schmitz from Young’s Point Manufacturing, the maker of hanging AR400 steel targets. John makes very good reduced-size “copies” of the targets at Quigley so that we can try to keep in practice at home.

I had ordered a 16-inch octagon and John had it ready for me. The 16-inch target posted at 200 yards is in ratio with the 48-inch target at Quigley, which is at 600 yards; they’re excellent for practice.

THE BUFFALO RIFLE MATCH at Quigley, the largest gathering of buffalo rifle shooters in the world and inspired by the sharpshooter played by Tom Selleck in Quigley Down Under, is very well organized. It has to be in order to get all of the 530 registered shooters through the course on time.

The shooting pace is on a rather quick tempo. When your name is called, you shoot. Then get ready to shoot again because the shooting is done in squads of six and it does go rather fast. While your squad is shooting, another squad is getting ready.

A good way to prepare for the match is to simply practice your shooting on the Quigley firing line before the match gets started. The firing line is open to all registered shooters before the match starts. I

had my heavy .44-77 from C. Sharps Arms with me and at least 190 rounds of ammunition, loaded with 415-grain bullets from a Brooks mould over 72 grains of Olde Eynsford 1½ F. The match itself requires 48 rounds of ammo, so I did have plenty of extras.

During the time available for sighting in or practice, I fired 49 rounds. That was while I made notes for my sight settings because I had never fired this particular rifle at some of those long distances before.

One real highlight for me was camping and shooting with Scott Sibley, the well known maker of powder horns. There were six of us with our tents in a small area, right in the middle of the trailers and motorhomes, and we had some good doin’s during the evenings. Scott treated us all to antelope burgers one evening. I made sure all six of us were in the same shooting group and when we divided into shooting squads, Scott was the shooter just to my left.

Scott and I did most of our practicing on Friday, just one day before the match actually got started.

One rule about Quigley must be mentioned: shooters are to use just one rifle (with one barrel if the rifle’s barrel is changeable) for the entire match. That rule is stipulated because Black powder cartridge enthusiasts gather during a shooters’ meeting.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

BLACK POWDER Scott Sibley’s and author Mike Nesbitt’s heavy Sharps rifles.

shooters might prefer using a heavy rifle while shooting at the targets over cross-sticks, but then switch to a lighter rifle for the offhand shooting at the “bucket.” My heavy .44-77, the rifle I call “Hannah,” weighs about 15¼ pounds. To me, that is a heavy rifle and I did practice my offhand shooting with it before taking it to Quigley. But Scott’s rifle is a scoped .45-90 that weighs over 17 pounds, which means he had the only rifle I know of at Quigley that was heavier than mine.

Whether or not the weight of our rifles helped us will never be known. Scott and I were pretty evenly matched and we both ended with the same score, just 21 hits out of the 48 possible. We did have a good time and we shot the match for the fun of it.

Sibley fires offhand at the 350-yard “bucket.”

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT I’LL MENTION was seeing my ol’ friend Kurt Altenburg take first place in the White Buffalo class. There are several classes of shooters but the top 10 that were mentioned near the beginning of this story are the top 10 overall with no distinction to shooting classes.

Examples of the shooting classes at Quigley include the Men’s class, which is for men 61 years old and younger. Men over 62 fall into the Senior class and men over 72 shoot in the White Buffalo class. Kurt was

BLACK POWDER Carolyn and Kurt Altenburg with the White Buffalo trophy.

our top shooting White Buffalo and his prize was a wooden plaque that identifies his win, plus he was awarded a very detailed white buffalo.

The highlight of my own shooting was my last shot taken during the match. Our group’s last target was the life-size buffalo at 805 yards. I wasn’t having the best of luck in getting hits on that target and the winds were keeping us on our toes. After six shots at the black steel buffalo with the big white spot on its chest, I had just two hits. My seventh shot was taken with care but the wind blew just a little harder and Allen, who was spotting my shots for me, said the bullet hit the dirt just to the right of the critter’s nose. I had just one shot left to go.

When my name was called by the scorekeeper, I held as steady as I could and put the buffalo’s white spot on the right edge of my aperture front sight, which gave me some Kentucky windage to the left, and squeezed the set trigger.

The bullet had a flight time of about three seconds covering the distance of those 805 yards, but then the strobe lights flashed, indicating a hit. And Allen announced that my last shot had hit right in the buffalo’s white spot, at 2 o’clock.

That was my best shot of the match.  Editor’s note: For a complete listing of this year’s scores at Quigley, go to quigleymatch.com.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

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ROAD HUNTER

A PUP’S FIRST HUNTS CAN BE KEY September offers good opportunities to get your new gun dog out after birds, and off to a successful career.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

sat in silence atop a rolling hillside covered in tall, yellow grass. Echo, my seven-monthold pudelpointer, was by my side, excited, taking in all the sights and sounds of this unfamiliar place.

We were hoping to catch mourning doves as they flew by, leaving their roost in the timbered mountains behind us for grass seeds in the surrounding hills and valley floor below. The first bird of the morning sped by, and I blew the shot. Seconds later I redeemed myself, connecting on a single.

Echo took off, down the hill in the direction I shot, having no idea what she was looking for, other than a bird.

I’d failed to account for the fact that these speedsters of the sky would be hard for her to mark, especially amid the rolling hills and surrounding trees.

In a flurry of confusion, I reached for my whistle. Giving one sharp blow, Echo immediately stopped and looked at me, just as I’d trained her to do. She was 75 yards away, ears perked, looking for guidance. That’s when I gave her an open hand signal, directing her to go right.

She went right, right past the dove.

Again I blew the whistle; again she

i

Echo, the author’s pudelpointer, brings in a band-tailed pigeon during a mid-September hunt. Early season hunts offer many benefits to young gun dogs.

stopped and looked. I directed her left and she went left, but this time before she sped by the dove, it flapped a wing.

That was all it took.

As soon as Echo picked up the bird, I gave two sharp blows on the whistle.

She sprinted right to me, delivering the bird to hand. It was a moment I’ll never forget.

Was it perfect? No. Was it quiet and

peaceful? No. But it was a start. Echo had her first official gamebird retrieve, and I, my first experience with my own gun dog that I had trained.

MANY HUNTERS AND dog trainers warned me not to take Echo out for dove on her first hunt. “Dove feathers fall out too easily, will get matted in her mouth and she won’t want to pick them or any americanshootingjournal.com 53

ROAD HUNTER Kona, the author’s 12-week-old pudelpointer, on his first dove hunt. Hunting in short grass allowed the pup to mark and retrieve a number of doves on his first hunts as a pup.

bird up after that,” was the consensus I got. That didn’t stop me, for I figured that was easily remedied.

When Echo brought the first dove to hand, she sat on command. Quickly I picked the feathers from her mouth, gave her a drink, and promptly shot another dove, then another. We repeated the feather picking from her mouth, followed by a quick drink, after

each bird.

Even before the hunt, I felt confident Echo would retrieve a dove, no matter how many feathers came out. She was taught to retrieve multiple objects early, and had never questioned my direction.

Why would doves be different?

The next big test came a few minutes later, when a string of doves flew by. I connected on a double, with the first Mourning doves are plentiful and the perfect size for a pup to retrieve. By quickly ridding their mouths of loose feathers, and providing water, the pups will continue to hunt.

bird falling in short grass. Echo marked it and was off. She didn’t see the second bird, which fell in waist-high dry grass. I eventually directed Echo to that bird by using whistles and hand signals, which wasn’t easy because she had her head down in the tall grass. But soon Echo found the bird and brought it to me. It was her first double retrieve.

We would leave the hills with a limit of doves and band-tailed pigeons. It was a good start to the season, and I couldn’t have been more proud of my pup.

I’ve hunted around the world, behind many dogs. I always love the experience, and the dogs. The fact that my first game bird, taken at age 12, was a dove, and now Echo’s first game bird was also a dove, gave even deeper meaning to the hunt.

The next day we hunted a different area. We were still in the Cascade foothills of western Oregon, but this time in big timber, a place I’d hunted bandtailed pigeons since I was a kid. There are mineral springs in this hideaway, and they attract pigeons for miles.

Knock a bandtail from the sky, and the feather trail that slowly trickles to earth makes it easy for a dog to mark, even a pup. Though the limit is only two birds, the effort is more than worth it.

Echo marked one bird that fell through a gap between two towering Douglas fir trees, and promptly brought it to hand without my saying a word or blowing the whistle. The second bird took more work, as it fell in thick brush.

By the end of September, Echo had retrieved over 60 doves, and several limits of bandtails, for both myself and some buddies. Progressing to grouse, ducks and geese came easy that fall.

TWO YEARS LATER, and a multitude of birds to Echo’s credit, my wife and I decided to get another pudelpointer.

This time we got a male, a black male.

Only about 4 percent of pudelpointers are black, and after seeing the demeanor of this pup’s mom – who was also black – I knew I had to have one.

Her drive, aggressive nature and funloving ways sold me.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

ROAD HUNTER

After pursuing elk with his bow for the previous 15 years, the author has spent the last two Septembers hunting with his dogs, chasing doves, band-tailed pigeons and more. Training and hunting with your own dog is something that must be experienced to be fully appreciated.

QUALITY DOG FOOD From my personal experience as a professional hunter who relies on my dogs always performing at top level, switching to the quality food that NutriSource provides was a game-changer (nutrisourcepetfoods.com). Right away both dogs showed increased energy and stamina on the hunt, and their recovery time was much faster. No longer were they stiff and sore the next morning, as their new diet had no carbs and was not inflammatory. The food switch allowed me to hunt them on back to back days, several days a week, on very demanding outings.

On a recent checkup with the vet, he said, “You just added a year to Echo’s life by giving her better quality food.” She’d

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

lost 5 pounds in six months, and kept it off. I quickly noticed smaller and less frequent bowel movements from both dogs, meaning the new diet was being better metabolized, which optimizes health and immunity. Giving my dogs high-protein food that contains no corn, wheat or byproduct meal had a major, noticeable impact on their health and happiness.

When it comes to your hunting partner, don’t skimp on food, as pound for pound high-end foods cost more but you actually use less, meaning it’s a wash. A dog’s life is short, and providing quality food will make it healthier and happier, longer.

Picking up our new pup in midAugust, at seven weeks of age, the training progressed nicely. We named him Kona, and right away he was fearless and had an eye for the sky.

Kona was never gun shy. So, at 12 weeks of age, I took him dove hunting.

It was the last week of the season, mid-October, and the field we hunted was flat with short grass, perfect for the pup’s first hunt. Sitting beside me, Kona watched swallows and songbirds flutter by. We saw one dove that evening, and I lucked out and happened to hit it. The bird folded and landed five paces from us.

Kona ran right to it, feathers still billowing down from the close-range shot. He sniffed the bird, mouthed it, grabbed it and ran to me, tail wagging all the while. It was a short retrieve, but a confidence builder for both of us. Kona cared less about the shot, was eager to retrieve the bird, didn’t chew on the dove and brought it to hand. The fact that he was so close allowed me to verbally guide and praise him.

Two days later Kona and I were back at it, on the final day of the mourning dove season. This time we hunted the bottom edge of a rolling hill, with a short grass field in front of us.

ROAD HUNTER Doves are one of North America’s widest-ranging game birds, and can be great starter hunts for your pup.

Before the morning was over, seven doves were on the ground. Kona retrieved six of them. The doves that fluttered on the ground after being shot were easy for Kona to mark and fetch.

A couple retrieves saw me standing, issuing and re-issuing hand signals, whistles and verbal commands in order to get Kona in position.

Not once did Kona drop a bird or hesitate picking one up. Of course, after every retrieve I praised him, picked feathers from his lips and gave him water. It worked, as he couldn’t get back to hunting fast enough. Later that fall Kona would retrieve valley quail, blue and ruffed grouse, ducks and geese.

PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE I have dove and pigeon hunting to thank for the success my dogs showed at an early age. Both Kona and Echo had the genetics and the drive, and I, fortunately, was able to bring it out of them through consistent

training and exposing them to multiple bird hunts.

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– which I began doing at nine weeks of age – and introducing bird wings and bird skins tied to small bumpers, the dogs quickly learned to fetch and they learned restraint. They connected the dots, knowing that if they listened to whistle signals and followed hand commands, the reward would come.

That first fall, Kona was too young to take part in Oregon’s brief bandtailed pigeon season, but the extended dove season offered him just the opportunity he needed to start hunting.

Echo, on the other hand, retrieved dozens of pigeons and doves, on multiple hunts, in that, her second year.

With September comes another dove and band-tailed pigeon season. I used to revel in September being the time I grabbed my bow and headed to multiple Western states in pursuit of bugling bull elk. Now, it’s the early season bird hunts I yearn for, where I can spend time with Echo and Kona, doing what we all love.  Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s series of popular hunting books, visit scotthaugen.com. Scott is host of The Hunt, on Amazon Prime.

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GROUNDHOGS: UNDERRATED, OVERLOOKED SMALL GAME

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Call them whistlepigs, woodchucks or whatnot, these eastern burrowers can provide good hunting – and meatier meals than rabbits, squirrels.

STORY BY JIM DICKSON PHOTOS BY SHUTTERSTOCK

T

he groundhog is the most underrated small game animal in the country. We call them whistlepigs in northern Georgia, a reference to their calls and their food value. Groundhogs are good eating and there is a lot more meat on them than on squirrels and rabbits. Some folks boil an older one until tender and then put it in the oven. I simply cover it with barbecue sauce and put them in the oven. Whatever way you prepare them, they taste good and a 10-pound whistlepig makes a good meal.

These are fastidiously clean animals, as much as a burrowing animal can be. They live on a vegetarian diet and weigh between 41/2 to 13 pounds normally. They are everything you would want in a food source.

GROUNDHOGS ARE ACTIVE AT night, so early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to hunt them. They will sleep in their burrows during the heat of the day. These burrows are found at the edge of the wood line, against trees, barns and buildings, and in the sides of slopes where the entrance hole lets in less rain

Squirrels and rabbits might be the most popular small game in much of the eastern half of the United States, but there’s a larger and just as wary quarry that hunters should also try and match wits with: groundhogs.

(MARTIN GSTOEHL)

to flood into the burrow. They often are in the sides of drainage ditches.

Wherever they are, they come out to feed and to soak up the sun while surveying their domain. They often remain near the safety of their hole when sunbathing. Some people report that active burrows can be identified by the gnats at the entrance, but that is not true in my part of Georgia, where the holes are gnat-free.

Scouting is the best way to find these holes, as undergrowth can easily

hide them. The whistlepig’s habit of standing beside his hole makes watching them productive. They leave the holes to feed on grasses, alfalfa (a favorite food), apples, and anything tasty a farmer is growing. They move about on the ground like a short-legged piglet but leave faint tracks so that only a very expert tracker will be able to trail them. Not every hole will have a whistlepig, as burrows have multiple entrances and exits so they can escape from the coyotes, bobcats, red foxes, americanshootingjournal.com 65

Best bet is to set up near groundhog dens and watch for animals to emerge to feed on plants. Author Jim Dickson recommends only shooting when they’re well away from the safety of their burrow to ensure you recover your prize.

(FOTOREQUEST)

and badgers that prey on them. A smart groundhog will have more than one burrow to escape to, as all the predators know they are delicious.

In late August the maturing young begin digging practice holes near the den before leaving home to start their own lives. Because they are slow runners, the smart groundhog is never far from a hole. Those that venture far tend to get eaten, and they know that.

THE PREFERRED METHOD IS to stake out an area and pick them off from a distance after locating their holes. While a .22 will suffice for expert shooters, a larger caliber with good shot placement is recommended, for these are tough animals that can easily escape to their holes to die where you cannot retrieve your hard-won dinner. The .30 carbine and .223 are about ideal when used with fast-expanding bullets.

Any and every gun has been successfully used over the years, 66

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

including shotguns and pistols. We aren’t talking big game here. The trick is to kill these tough little whistlepigs instantly before they can make a dash for their holes. Head shots are preferred and anything outside of a perfect head or chest hit will generally result in a lost meal, a situation that I would rather avoid.

This is a good time to practice game shooting with big bore guns.

While a .577 3-inch Nitro Express may be overkill on steroids (to say nothing of the cost of that cartridge!), it is good practice with the gun you will be staking your life on if you hunt dangerous game. After all, you are also out here to have fun and this is one game animal that you can use anything on!

Because of the proximity of the quarry to its holes, you can shoot these at long range or short range, whatever type of shooting you like. You can stalk them or set up blinds at short range, or you can position yourself as far away as

you like for long range shooting.

Groundhogs notice movement and keeping still is the way to be unobserved. If they do see you and you become still, they may soon go on about their business. Move only when their head is down feeding or they are otherwise distracted. Go slowly, softly and quietly. While wary, they are vegetarians and thus have to eat a lot.

That overriding priority means that they are soon back about the serious business of eating so they will have enough fat to get through hibernation in the lean, cold months of winter. If you scare one and he darts into his hole, he will likely be back inside of 15 minutes, so sit tight and wait him out.

Change your position while he is in the hole because that is the first place he will look when he first peeps out.

They are also curious animals. If an unusual noise is occurring nearby they will often pop out of their holes for a look. Music (but not talk radio) played a safe distance away from the hole so they do not feel threatened by the noise or even a swinging gong .22 target being rung can work to draw them out. Do not shoot until they are completely out of the hole. They will not come all the way out if the strange noise is very close to them. Music should be soothing, low volume, and nonthreatening to inspire curiosity and not apprehension. Stealth works better, though, and is a lot less trouble.

Just wait. The hungry varmint will soon come out if he is in that hole.

Groundhogs can also be successfully stalked. I have done so and gotten within 20 feet of them but you had better be good at this game if you expect success by this method.

They have a very keen sense of smell so wind direction is always important.

GROUNDHOGS BREED IN MARCH and April and the female rears the young by herself. The pups are mature and able to be out on their own by the end of August, so hunting them between March and the end of August may leave young to starve to death in the den. Unless you are out to exterminate this food source, you should not hunt during these months

for that reason.

The animals often dig a separate hibernation burrow, for they will hibernate from three to seven months, depending on the severity of the winters at that location.

Obviously there’s no hunting then.

Most people are surprised to find that groundhogs are good swimmers and tree climbers when pursued or when they just feel like it. You may find them up in apple trees after the apples, or out in the field or in the garden. Wherever crops are, they are at one time or another.

They are also aggressive defenders of their burrows, using their long incisors and claws to good effect.

While they might appear cute and cuddly, their aggressiveness makes them poor pets. If you think a pet squirrel can put the hurt on you fast, you ain’t seen nuttin’ yet! Remember, these things get up to 13 pounds or more and their incisors and claws put a squirrel’s to shame!

A LOT OF FARMERS really hate

groundhogs and may welcome careful hunters. Care is necessary because the quarry is often found in extremely close proximity to buildings, people and livestock. You have to know where your bullet is going after it hits the target in many cases.

Groundhogs excavate about 6 cubic feet of dirt for each of their dens and they like to put them next to buildings.

Taking 6 cubic feet of dirt out from beneath the foundation at a time is a very bad thing. Once under a house they can gnaw everything in sight, from heating pipes to screen vents, which they may take out to have more exits for themselves and allow entry for their guests, rats and mice. Coming up inside a corn rib or feed stall in a barn is common and rats and mice quickly follow, as a woodchuck hole is like the Holland Tunnel for rats and mice.

Of course being vegetarians they love crops and gardens and can make a huge dent in the harvest. That’s as bad as it gets for a farmer. Their holes are a serious threat to cattle and horses.

Having to put down expensive livestock

because of broken legs is a nightmare event. Those holes and the excavations under them can also pitch a tractor over if the dirt gives way under it when on a slope, a rare but potentially fatal occurrence. These burrows are not as deep as you might imagine, with one study finding the deepest point to be 49 inches, with the burrow extending up to 30 feet with side chambers that may be from 14 inches high and 16 inches long and only 20 to 36 inches below ground. All these reasons ensure that the groundhog will never be held in fond terms by farmers.

Anytime you can endear yourself to a farmer by removing pests as safely and unobtrusively as possible, you greatly increase your chances of them letting you hunt other game on their land.

However, don’t be put out if they do not, as many farmers regard the game on their land as their own private food source and consider letting others hunt it as the same as taking food out of their children’s mouths. City folk don’t always seem to grasp the realities of rural living.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

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Sometimes a farmer may have one or two semitame wild animals about that they want to keep safe. He or she may deny their presence to deter the neighbors from coming after them.

If that is the reason, the farmer will not tell you but also will not allow hunting. Men and women with bad experiences with hunters on their land see no reason to risk accommodating any more. Ever. Others simply do not want their privacy disturbed. The point I am making is to simply respect an owner’s decision not to allow hunting on their land and not take it personally. Remember that as the property owner, they have exclusive rights to the land, and the law backs them up to the hilt on this.

Also, legal or not, in my county I know of instances where trespassers have been shot at just for trespassing.

Other trespassers in my state have simply disappeared. I also know of one family who would rob anyone they caught on their land. Hunting without permission can get a lot more serious in some places than you ever imagined.

ONCE YOU HAVE BAGGED your whistlepig, don’t waste the hide. I have always been able to find a use for any hide, whether tanned with the hair on or off. The American Rifleman magazine even ran an article titled “A Woodchuck Trophy” in the early 1960s describing how to make a bear skin-style rug out of a woodchuck!

That’s a pretty small rug.

The stiff tail hairs of the woodchuck are also valued by fly tiers for making certain fishing flies. Be like the early settlers and use everything. Their motto was “Make do or do without.”

For those of you who are gourmet cooks, the woodchuck can make a first-class gourmet dinner. You can use most any of your fancy meat recipes just substituting woodchuck for the meat called for.

Personally I would rather shoot big woodchucks for a gourmet dinner than little squirrels and rabbits. If the rest of you disagree, that’s fine with me because that means there are more for me to eat.  americanshootingjournal.com 69

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‘Whether you’re headed to Alaska, Africa or Australia, or planning a hunt for elk, moose or bear in the contiguous 48, you can’t go wrong in choosing a Trophy Bonded Bear Claw,’ says columnist.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY PHIL MASSARO

F

ailure, it is often said, is the greatest teacher. In the hunting and shooting world, failures have inspired some innovative minds. John Nosler experienced bullet failure when hunting a huge Canadian bull moose and that incident led to the development of the Nosler Partition bullet. Jack Lott ended up further off the ground than he intended to be when he was tossed by a Mozambican Cape buffalo after his .458 Winchester failed to stop it, and that led to the .458 Lott.

Similarly, the story has it that it was another Cape buffalo bull that got his adrenaline up and simply refused to die that set Mr. Jack Carter to thinking he wanted to develop a better bullet, and he did: Carter was the brains behind the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, one of the best hunting bullet designs available.

Carter was an IBM executive who enjoyed hunting Africa – with famed gun writer John Wooters – and especially enjoyed the dangerous game animals. Carter wanted a bullet that would be utterly reliable, in

both the expansion and penetration departments, even on the thickskinned animals. Admittedly, he took much inspiration from Bill Steigers of Bitterroot Bonded Core Bullets, but what Carter ended up with was a unique design that would prove highly effective as a dangerous game bullet.

There weren’t an awful lot of bonded-core bullets on the market in the 1980s, and the techniques used to join the jacket and core differed as well. Carter’s designs went through some revisions – including changes americanshootingjournal.com 71

bullet bulletin to the depth of the lead core, which would change how much and how fast the bullets would expand – but his choice of a pure lead core and a pure copper jacket made for a sound design.

Carter’s bullet wasn’t cheap, but those serious about safari happily paid the price for his product.

Carter sold his company as he got on in years (staying on as a consultant) and

The previous Trophy Bonded Bear Claw design, before the grooves and nickel plating were added.

The modern Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, shown in profile, cutaway and in upset form.

Note the forward position of the lead core, as well as the copper shank.

the investors licensed the design to the folks at Federal Premium Ammunition.

With the volume of ammunition that Federal produces, there was no way that the orders could be met on the machines Carter used, so production moved to the Federal facility. The pure copper/pure lead formula didn’t stand up well to the high-speed machines Federal was using, so a bit of zinc was added to the jacket. The result was a bullet that had different terminal properties than the original design; the jacket fragmented and premature breakup and poor penetration was an issue. The bullet went through some redesigning – being produced at the Speer facility – and actually left us for a while, but it is back now, strong and consistent as it ever was.

ONE OF THE BEST features of the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is the lead core’s position: it is located in the front of the bullet, with the rear of the bullet being homogenous gilding metal. This does a couple of things, both of which are equal parts of the success of the Bear Claw.

First, it limits the amount of expansion possible, because the core only runs so deep; the solid shank behind the lead core will not expand.

Secondly – and this is something I greatly appreciate in a bullet to be used for dangerous game animals – it keeps the bullet on a straight course once it strikes hide, bone or flesh by keeping the weight forward. Historically, the round-nose bullets from a century ago earned their reputation by giving straight-line penetration; the center of gravity was located midbullet, and the wound channel was – more often than 72

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

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bullet bulletin The Federal .300 Winchester Magnum 200-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load, perfect for a hunter wanting to extend the capabilities of his rifle while hunting large game in Alaska or Africa.

Federal’s .470 Nitro Express 500-grain TBBC load, and author Phil Massaro’s Heym Model 89B double rifle.

Massaro’s Heym double rifle certainly likes the Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load, as this 75-yard target shows.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

not – in a straight line along the path from the muzzle. Spitzer bullets, especially today’s designs with a long ogive, have their center of gravity further rearward, and like a rear-wheel drive car in the snow, will tend to kick out to one side or the other once resistance (the animal) is met. The famous story about the 5.56 NATO bullets being designed to tumble is untrue; the simple fact of the matter is the FMJ spitzer bullet tends to exit with the heavy section (the rear of the bullet) forward.

Keep the bullet weight forward, and you will see straight-line penetration. The Trophy Bonded Bear Claw does

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bullet bulletin A Legendary Arms Works rifle in .375 H&H Magnum and Federal’s 300-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load – a combination for all game save elephant.

A 300-grain .375-inchdiameter Trophy Bonded Bear Claw in profile.

A 500-grain .474-inch-diameter Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, for the .470 Nitro Express.

exactly that.

Expansion usually runs at least twice caliber dimension and weight retention is pretty consistently above 90 percent, unless shots are very close.

The beauty of the bonded core design is that the structural integrity of the bullet will not be compromised, even on close shots from a fast magnum cartridge, yet the front end will expand reliably to all sane hunting ranges. I’ve also found that the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is an accurate bullet, in both the common, all-around calibers like .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Remington

Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum, as well as the big guys like the .375 Holland & Holland, .416 Rigby and .470 Nitro Express. While the ballistic coefficient isn’t exactly on par with the sleeker designs – I find the Trophy Bonded Tip better suited to hunting shots at longer ranges – it is good enough to be used at normal hunting ranges, giving a very useable trajectory and retaining energy well.

The modern iteration of the Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is immediately identifiable; the projectiles are nickel-plated, easily differentiating

The 225-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load in .338 Winchester Magnum makes a wonderful all-around choice for North America.

Want to extend the capabilities of your deer rifle?

Try the 200-grain .30-06 Springfield load, and let the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw go to work.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

The Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in .416 Remington Magnum, topped with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5x20 in Talley detachable rings, loaded with 400-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, makes a wonderful dangerous game combination.

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We have about 144 set of molds with new molds coming.

Sixteen employees working 10 hr. a day shifts 4 days a week with 9 casters, 6 auto lubers, and 12 star lubers gas checking every day. We have bullets made with five different alloys that we order in 40,000 - 60,000 lbs at a time a mixed per our set alloys.

Prices subject to change without notice.

americanshootingjournal.com 77

bullet bulletin them from the originals. The slightest amount of lead is exposed at the meplat, and Federal has redesigned the bullet with grooves on the shank, to minimize fouling and offer consistent performance in a multitude of firearms.

In its loaded ammunition line, Federal offers the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw in 7mm Remington Magnum (175 grains), .30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum (200 grains), .338 Winchester The Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is now available in component form in .375-inch, .416-inch, .458-inch and .474-inch diameters.

A good double rifle – like the author’s Heym 89B – and a good supply of Trophy Bonded Bear Claw ammunition are the buffalo hunter’s friend.

Magnum, .35 Whelen (225 grains), .375 Holland & Holland (250 grains) and .45-70 Government (300 grains). In component form, Federal now offers the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw in .375-inch diameter (250 and 300 grains), .416-inch diameter

(400 grains), .458-inch diameter (500 grains) and .474-inch diameter for the .470 NE (500 grains).

Whether you’re headed to Alaska, Africa or Australia, or planning a hunt for elk, moose or bear in the contiguous 48, you can’t go wrong in choosing a Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. 

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

PrOlix

PrOlix is a penetrating solvent/ dry lube product that was lab-developed and tested by law enforcement, military and commercial shooters over many years. The citrus-based biodegradable cleaner, pioneered in 1995, is the first successful “all in one” gun care product, now deemed “Bio-Technology.”

Their recyclable (strain and reuse) products are made of 89 percent or greater renewable resources, a true commitment to sustainable practices and caring for the environment. As such, the USDA has listed PrOlix as a BioPreferred Product since 2012.

The solvent “goes on wet, cleans, bonds, and the lube turns dry to the touch.” It removes carbon, copper, lead, shotgun plastic residues, and black powder. PrOlix will not damage wood, freeze, or flash off, and it can be used for commercial and industrial applications as well.

To complement the PrOlix Cleaner/Lubricant (Dry Tech) line, shooters can use the equally superior “gun-oil and grease replacer” PrOlix Xtra-T Lube for a total care product.

PrOlix, which will be celebrating its 33rd anniversary soon, announced at the 2019 Shot Show that they would be shipping out their products with a new look around the middle of the year.

Along with the new look, due to many requests, their PrOlix TGCP in the 16-ounce-PRO with an adjustable nozzle and trigger-sprayer cap will also change to an easier-to-handle bottle.

Visit prolixlubricant.com for more information.

americanshootingjournal.com 83

NRA

PERSONAL PROTECTION EXPO

BULLET SPLAT JEWELRY

OGRE MANUFACTURING, LLC

bulletsplat.com Bullet Splat Jewelry is created using molds of spent bullets. A mold is made of each spent bullet, then that mold is used to recreate the Bullet Splat in solid silver. Additional accents of 22k gold, colorful patinas, and various gems, stones and turquoise are available.

Choose from earrings, pendants, cuff links, money clips, pins, as well as other custom items. Bullet Splat Jewelry is an attention-grabber, conversationstarter, and a statement-maker! Proudly made in the USA. For more information, visit bulletsplat.com, or email ladyt@ bulletsplat.com.

ogremfg.com Pee-yew! Are you cleaning your gun again? Try Enviroclean FA, the low-odor, biodegradable cleaner for firearms.

Used by law enforcement and responsible marksmen like you, Enviroclean FA is a true gun solvent and contains no water, ammonia or detergent. The flash point of Enviroclean FA is greater than 200 degrees, so it is considered nonhazardous by the DOT. Enviroclean FA is also great for cleaning black powder guns. Just imagine cleaning your black powder gun like a traditional firearm without all the mess!

For more information, visit ogremfg.com or call (414) 881-2953.

QUICKLOAD quickloadspeedloader.com QuickLoad .38 Special/.357 Magnum StripLoaders are a new hybrid between standard in-line strip-type speedloaders and round speedloaders.

They are 33 percent faster than standard strip-type speedloaders to use with both five- and six-shot revolvers, have an improved cartridge retention system, are easier to load, are more ergonomic and “pocketable” than comparable round speedloaders, and are one piece with no knobs to twist. The five-shot StripLoader fits the .38-caliber Ruger LCR and S&W J-Frame to the Taurus 851. The six-shot fits most .38-caliber revolvers.

QuickLoad StripLoaders with QuickLoad QuickCases create a compact, protective, quiet and accessible carry system for pocket or purse. StripLoaders also fit a standard “round” and a size 1 speed strip belt pouch. QuickCases take a flat format strip speedloader and turn it into a truly pocket- or purse-ready backup accessory. See videos and order from quickloadspeedloader.com.

See us at booth #1322

CHECK US OUT ONLINE

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Hand Built For Hardcore Use

(559) 478-5475 www.taprackholsters.com Tap Rack Holsters is a leading provider of premium American-made gun holsters and knife sheaths. Our products are the result of 40 plus years of combined experience in the military and law enforcement field using American made materials. Every Tap Rack holster and sheath is hand crafted using extreme care, precision and built to last because we’re dedicated to providing premium quality products our customers can rely on.

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20% off all product except accessories through the end of the year! americanshootingjournal.com 85

NRA

PERSONAL PROTECTION EXPO

BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION black-hills.com The HoneyBadger line from Black Hills Ammunition gets more ferocious with the new .40 S&W caliber. Experienced shooters, while impressed by the high velocity, might be cautious about the lighter weight bullet, fearing overexpansion and underpenetration. That is definitely not the case here.

The solid copper, fluted, sharp-edged design efficiently cuts through barriers and reliably penetrates to 18 inches in 10 percent ballistic gelatin with no loss of weight. Gelatin testing shows this combination outperforms hollowpoint bullets, not only in terms of velocity, penetration and weight retention (100 percent), but provides superior temporary cavity diameters of 3 to 3.75 inches.

This is the newest technology in handgun performance!

AMMO INCORPORATED ammoinc.com Tired of the same boring routine? Looking for something new? Want to add a dynamic aspect to your training? Then look no further, Ammo Inc. has just what you are looking for. Streak Visual Ammunition is the missing link to get you on target faster and keep you there. Utilizing patented technology, Streak Visual Ammunition gives you instant feedback on your bullet path during low light and indoor scenarios allowing you to make immediate corrections. Available exclusively from Ammo Inc. and distributed through national and local retailers, Streak Visual Ammunition is safe for all indoor and outdoor ranges. For more information on the Streak line of products and other premium brands available from Ammo Inc., visit them at ammoinc.com.

ZERO BULLET COMPANY zerobullets.com

UNDERWOOD AMMUNITION underwoodammo.com New from Illinois-based Underwood Ammunition, the Xtreme Defender is based on the wildly popular Xtreme Penetrator product line. This new XD ammunition features an optimized nose flute, along with the weight and velocity necessary to achieve the FBI standard 18 inches of penetration. With a permanent wound cavity (PWC) described as “enormous,” the XD’s solid copper body ensures no adverse effects occurring to the projectile itself, despite encountering common law enforcement and personal defense obstacles such as wallboard, sheetrock, sheet metal and automotive glass.

RIM ROCK BULLETS, INC. rimrockbullets.com Introducing the new 10mm 200-grain and 220-grain FP from Rim Rock Bullets. These bullets were brought to market due to popular demand from several writers and at least one company that wanted hard-hitting ammo for pistol hunters. The bullets are made with 15 Brinell hardness lead.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Fifty-two years. That’s how long the folks at the Zero Bullet Company have been manufacturing jacketed handgun bullets. And their expertise and craftsmanship show in their impressive competitive championship wins. Team Zero member Kevin Angstadt won the prestigious Bianchi Cup in 2014 using the company’s Number 136 9mm 125-grain jacketed hollowpoint competition bullet. Kim Beckwith has racked up multiple High Senior awards at the cup with Zero’s .38 Super ammunitions.

The National Pistol Championship? Zero’s been there and done that. Same with the Pistol 4-Man Team Championships at Ohio’s Camp Perry. An impressive record, for a company with equally as impressive credentials and products.

SHELL SHOCK TECHNOLOGIES shellshocktech.com Shell Shock’s 9mm case was hailed as “maybe the greatest innovation in firearms in 150 years” by the folks at the VSO Gun Channel. Not bad for their first try! Next on the list, the new .223/5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm rifle cases.

Fifty percent lighter and 50 percent more powder capacity, these latest additions will deliver greater consistency between rounds, cost less than traditional brass, and can be picked up with a magnet when the shooting’s over. All Shell Shock cases are proudly made in the USA. Shell Shock – Shoot it! Love it!

NRA

PERSONAL PROTECTION EXPO

HI-POINT FIREARMS

GARY REEDER CUSTOM GUNS

hi-pointfirearms.com

reedercustomguns.com Gary Reeder Custom Guns is well known for the finest in full custom hunting revolvers, custom 1911s, Cowboy guns, large-caliber African rifles and more. Now included are their custom carry guns. Some folks like double-action revolvers or semiautos. Some even like single-action revolvers and here is a very special one. It is their new Hellcat. It is based on the customer’s Bearcat and is full custom. Converted to centerfire, it is available in .32 H&R, along with 9mm and .38 Super. The frame is color cased, and the rest of the gun done in deluxe black Chromex. The grip frame is done in a birdshead style with Mongolian stag grips. One of the finest small carry guns is the Hellcat. See website for more info.

Released in 2016, the Hi-Point 3895TS carbine is the perfect complement for those who have a .380-caliber pistol and do not have a need to stock additional calibers.

Are you recoil-sensitive? The 38095TS carbine is one of the softest shooting carbines on the market today. The recoil is comparable to a .22LR, and the report is similar to a .22 subsonic.

The .380 Auto carbine is simply a fun little gun to shoot. It features the same Hi-Point tried-and-true striker-fired blow-back action, housed in a polymer stock. The 3895TS will dependably serve you for a lifetime.

For a full breakdown of all the features of the Hi-Point 3895TS and package options, go to hi-pointfirearms.com.

See us at booth #1619

AMERICAN DERRINGER CORPORATION amderringer.com American Derringer’s Semmerling LM-4 .45 is a unique, pocket-sized (5.2x3.7x1 inch), streamlined, double-action pistol that holds five rounds of .45 ACP ammunition, fed from a magazine by lightningfast manual slide actuation. The first round, carried in the chamber, is ready for instantaneous use – exactly like a double-action revolver. The remaining four rounds are chambered almost as rapidly as in a semiauto weapon. The term “pocket-sized” is no exaggeration. Observe the picture of the LM-4 compared with a Walther “TP” vest-pocket .22. Their sizes are identical; in fact, the LM-4 is an inch shorter than Walther’s famous .32 PPK model!

Why an LM-4? Because when you need a back-up gun, you’re going to need the one-shot stopping power of the government-adopted .45 ACP cartridge. When you add up the pluses and minuses of all the back-up and conceal guns, nothing can compare to the LM-4.

KERSHAW KNIVES kershawknives.com Based on the style of the original award-winning Zero Tolerance design, the Kershaw Bareknuckle (model 7777OLBW) offers a slimmed-down profile and upgraded materials. And it’s a made-in-theUSA beauty. It features high-performance 14C28N blade steel for excellent corrosion-resistance and hardening, BlackWash blade finish that hides scratches, and a lightweight anodized aluminum handle in olive green, with weight-reducing, yet sturdy, subframe lock. It opens easily with KVT ball-bearing system and a flipper, and features reversible, deep-carry pocketclip for convenient carry on left or right. The Bareknuckle has a 3.5inch blade; closed: 4.7 inches.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

ONTARIO KNIFE COMPANY ontarioknife.com In the tradition of one of Ontario Knife’s most venerable and popular knives, the trusted classic 499 pilot’s survival knife, the company has added the OKC Journeyman. This knife is a workman and outdoorsman’s knife designed in similar fashion to the 499. Boasting the stacked leather handle, sheep’s foot blade design and deep serrations on the spine, this knife is sure to easily conquer any task set before it. Coming in at only 8.5 inches overall length, 4 full inches of cutting surface, and coupled with a leather sheath, the OKC Journeyman is built to be a true standard in everyday carrying.

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VELOCITY TRIGGERS 3-pound curved trigger See us on page 42

NIGHTFORCE OPTICS ATACR 4-16x50 riflescope See us on page 43 LUTH-AR Palm handguard See us on page 90

LAYKE TACTICAL LT-10 lower receiver See us on page 44 SANDERS ARMORY Trinity Force Breach Brace Pistol Stabilizer See us on page 5

DEFIANCE MACHINE Tenacity action with 20 MOA rail and recoil lug See us on page 19

BOYDS HARDWOOD GUNSTOCKS Bottom metal and trigger guard that fit AI-Style magazines for the Ruger American series rifles See us on page 64

SEAL 1 SKIT R/P Gun Cleaning Kit – All Rifle and Pistol See us on page 94

CDNN SPORTS AR-15 Low-profile Flip-up 45-degree Sight Set See us on page 35

AR Parts, Guns & Accessories americanshootingjournal.com 91

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

IRAQ WAR HERO INTRODUCED AS NEW BRAND AMBASSADOR ‘Role model and mentor with a positive outlook,’ Omar ‘Crispy’ Avila now officially representing Lucid Optics.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LUCID OPTICS

L

ucid Optics, manufacturer of quality, value-oriented optics, has announced their new brand ambassador, Omar “Crispy” Avila, all-American hero and inspiration to thousands.

The company has worked with Avila for years and finally decided it was time to make it official.

Avila was recently named Warrior of the Year by Ballistic Magazine in the June/July 2019 issue. He is a truly dedicated veteran and is thriving as a motivational speaker, firearms industry partner, professional power lifter, and daily inspiration to everyone he meets.

“Omar ‘Crispy’ Avila has made a name for himself among military veterans on social media. Between his motivational messaging, love of bowhunting, Paralympic powerlifting, and overall inspirational persona, the former infantryman has gathered almost 200,000 followers on Instagram and even more on Facebook,” said Maggie BenZvi in an article for Coffee or Die in 2018.

Even better? He’s just getting going.

Refusing to give up, Avila has beaten the odds. He survived a horrific attack in Iraq while deployed for the United States Army in 2007.

During the attack he was burned and broken but he kept on fighting to save his teammates and take out

Omar “Crispy” Avila.

the enemy. Avila has survived burns over 75 percent of his body and has an amputated lower leg, all results from that day. None of this is stopping him.

He is there for people who need him.

Avila helps children who are learning to work with their new amputation or others who have suffered extensive burns. He travels to meet them and give a little inspiration so they can have someone to look up to. Someone who maybe really understands what they are going through.

He works with disabled veterans who need encouragement and a

mentor to help them through their hardest times. Avila is a role model and a mentor with a positive outlook and a “get it done” attitude. You want this man on your side.

Avila is an outspoken but humble spokesman for the firearms industry.

He loves to hunt and is lucky enough to get to travel the U.S. to do so.

Passionate, humble, hero, inspiring, giving, driven – Lucid Optics is happy to have him as part of their team.  Editor’s note: To learn more, visit lucidoptics.com. americanshootingjournal.com 93

HOW TO TAKE THE M96 MAUSER PISTOL APART AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER Step-by-step instructions from handgun expert Eugene Golubtsov.

FOREWORD BY JIM DICKSON PHOTOS BY EUGENE GOLUBTSOV

I

asked Eugene Golubtsov to show American Shooting Journal readers how to take the M96 Mauser Military Pistol apart and put it back together again because I have never seen anyone do it as fast and easily as he does.

I have seen some of the best army ordnance men in America and England have a terribly hard time doing this with their own M96s, so I know how important this information is.

Eugene not only repairs these pistols, but he is one of the few people in the world who can restore one back to factory-new condition.

He knows this gun as well or better than any man alive today.

Eugene Golubtsov may be better known as “Lugerman” for his dedication to the M1907 U.S. Army Test Trials Luger (American Shooting Journal, October 2018), but he’s also a whiz at stripping down the M96 Mauser Military Pistol and putting it back together again, says author Jim Dickson. Tools for the job include a brass hammer, round head pin, hook tool and flat head screwdriver. americanshootingjournal.com 95

Step 1: Disassembly

Using the round head pin, push the mag bottom pin down and apply some pressure towards the barrel end, helping the mag plate slide off the frame while pushing the bottom down.

Step 2:

Move hammer into ready-to-fire position. Using a flat head screwdriver, lift the disassembly lever. Hold the barrel in your left hand and slide the thumb inside the trigger guard. With disassembly latch lifted, pull the frame forward and the slide will move out of the frame from the back.

Step 3:

Using a hook tool, lift the front of the trigger spring and slide it back. Trigger spring will free up. Flip the frame over; trigger and button for mag floor will drop out.

Step 4:

Take upper in left hand, grab subframe with right hand, and swing the subframe out of the upper with clockwise motion. Do the same with the locking block.

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Step 5:

Using a flat head screwdriver, push on the back of the firing pin, turn it counter-clockwise by 90 degrees, and depress. Firing pin will jump out. Sometimes pulling the bolt out and relifting it, allowing it to slam forward, will help free the firing pin out of position. Remove firing pin.

Step 6:

Pull the bolt stop a bit out of the upper. Push flat head screwdriver into firing pin hole at the back of the bolt. Move it under the bolt stop and move the bolt stop forward and out of the upper, while compressing the main spring with the screwdriver.

Remove bolt and main spring.

Step 7:

Removing the extractor is delicate, and extractor needs to be supported around the rails in the bolt to prevent breakage.

Using a flat head screwdriver, lift extractor head up and out of the bolt, only lifting the head by an eighth of an inch, just to clear retention knobs from the bolt.

Step 8:

Move the hammer into ready-to-fire position. Pull sear back and lift it up. While supporting the hammer and pulling it back, lift sear arm up all the way about 90 degrees and lift it off the gun frame. Hammer is under load and will snap back violently if not supported and lowered carefully.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

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Step 9:

Remove the hammer spring. The spring plunger has a special cut for screwdrivers or round pin. You will need to position the side of the screwdriver in front of the subframe plunger, wrap your hand around the subframe and squeeze the screwdriver to move the plunger backwards, while pulling the small retention loop out of the subframe with the other hand. Slowly release tension, as the plunger and hammer spring will want to fly across the room. Plunger, spring and spring guide will fall out of the subframe after the retention loop is removed.

Step 10:

Remove hammer pin/sear spring combo out of the subframe, rotate the safety upward counter-clockwise to remove it, and the hammer will fall out after safety is out of the subframe. Disassembly is complete.

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Step 11: Reassembly

Push the extractor into the bolt slot, while supporting its tail around the rails. Small taps with a brass hammer will have it seated. Make sure the extractor slot is clean and has no dirt.

Any excessive pressure will bend the extractor and destroy it.

Step 12:

Slide the bolt into the upper and insert main spring. Using a flat head screwdriver, compress the spring through the firing pin hole. Insert the bolt stop so it catches the edge of the spring. Push the bolt stop in place and pull the screwdriver out at the same time.

Step 14:

Step 13:

Inspect the tail of the firing pin. A cut in the bolt stop will have corresponding geometry. Insert the firing pin, push it in with the screwdriver about a quarter of an inch, turn counter-clockwise and remove the screwdriver. The firing pin will be protruding from the bolt back slightly.

Install hammer into subframe and insert sear spring/hammer pin to secure it.

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Step 15:

Insert spring guide/spring/ spring plunger assembly into subframe, with spring plunger pointing down.

Compress the spring with the side of the screwdriver and insert the spring retention loop in place.

Step 16:

Inspect safety lugs, and insert safety into the subframe while pulling/ pushing on the hammer.

Rotate safety clockwise until it snaps in place.

Step 17:

Install sear arm while it’s pointing up and rotate it down towards the hammer. Pull the hammer back and sit the sear arm in place. Let the hammer rest on it in loaded position.

Step 18:

Install sear, making sure that sear spring arm is pressing on the shoulder. After installation, sear will be spring-loaded.

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americanshootingjournal.com 105

Step 19:

Install subframe lock. When correctly installed it will interact with the lower arm of the sear spring and will be spring-loaded in closed position.

Step 20:

Install mag bottom catch and trigger. Using a small hook tool, install trigger spring and, lifting its front tail up, slide it over mag bottom top until it falls into spring retention slot.

Step 21:

Install locking block on the upper. Make sure that locking lugs sit correctly on the bolt locking lugs.

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americanshootingjournal.com 107

Step 22:

With locking block installed on the upper, press the subframe onto it. Supporting the back of the subframe, snap the subframe onto the front of the locking lug. If properly installed, the lower frame will stay on the upper without any support.

Make sure the hammer is in loaded position.

Step 23:

Slide the upper and attached subframe onto the frame. At a final stage, loading with the hammer up helps insert the subframe. Make sure the subframe lock is in the lowest position after assembly.

Step 24:

Install mag follower assembly. At near-assembly, the floor plate will have to be pushed in from the front into the frame until it snaps onto the bottom button catch.

Assembly is complete. ď‚Ť

Editor's note: For more information on Eugene Golubtsov, see lugerman.com.

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americanshootingjournal.com 109

CONCEALED CARRY

GALLERY

DARA HOLSTERS Dara Holster’s patented Curved Clip is designed to mimic the curve of the waistline, offering 100 percent clip-to-belt contact while carrying, keeping the gun and holster close to the body at all times.

Concealed carry has never been so easy. » www.daraholsters.com/iwb-holsters-1

CLIPDRAW Everyday carry made simple.

Comfortable and discreet concealed carry without a holster.

American made, fits for all handguns. » www.clipdraw.com

COVERT CARRIER Covert Carrier, Inc. has added SIG 238 and SIG 938 grips to their line. The G-10 grips can be purchased as a set or single right- or left-handed options. Visit their website or call (702) 245-6302 for more info. » www.covertcarrier.com

BULLARD LEATHER A new addition to Bullard Leather holsters is the thumb break snap, designed to be used on most of the company’s holsters. The back is reinforced leather to keep from breaking down, and the strap can even be made with exotic leather. The holster pictured is a Combat Holster for a Glock 19/23/32 with the thumb break snap. » www.bullardleather.com

americanshootingjournal.com 111

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PRODUCT REVIEW

A NEW ANGLE ON ANKLE CARRY When concealment and retention are everything, the Gun Sox fills the bill.

Cheata Tactical boasts that its Gun Sox, featuring Stretx compression material to hold small to midsize handguns in place above the ankle, is “so comfortable and secure you will forget you are carrying.”

Unholstering a firearm is as easy as pulling back a retention flap.

STORY BY JIM DICKSON • PHOTOS BY CHEATA TACTICAL

T

he need for a back-up or hide-out pistol goes hand in hand with holsters made for out-of-the-way places, like ankle carry. I have used ankle holsters that ranged from wearable to painful, but I finally found one that you can actually carry the gun in without

noticing it. These are intended for maximum concealment, not fast draw, but ankle holsters are never very good for fast draws.

The Gun Sox Stretx Holstering System from Cheata Tactical consists of a well-padded stretch socklike section that goes between the ankle

and the knee. It comes in the original full lower leg length and a midcalf length for those wearing boots. On each side is a pocket for a pistol covered by a wide stretch flap that completely covers the grip of the gun carried. The pistol itself has its trigger guard inside the pouch for more secure americanshootingjournal.com 113

PRODUCT REVIEW carrying. The padding effectively prevents the gun from digging in and gouging your leg.

One or both pockets can also be used to carry valuables safely away from pickpockets.

Drawing the gun is accomplished by jerking back the retention flap to expose the grip and the back of the slide. This can be done with one hand but is faster and more sure if two hands are used – one to pull the flap up and one to draw the pistol, the same way some men draw from a military flap holster.

The Gun Sox is removed by pulling the top down and turning the sleeve inside out as it is pulled off.

This system is designed for smalland medium-sized pistols and holds them quite securely when running or jumping. You never have to worry about your pistol bouncing out. I know a policeman who was chasing a suspect when a flash of light caught

his eye. It was his S&W M60 snubnose .38 bouncing out of his ankle holster and going flying through the air. That won’t happen with this holster.

I have tested this rig thoroughly with a .22 Sterling automatic vest pocket pistol and I have complete confidence in this ankle holster.

Those unfamiliar with deep cover hiding of pistols may not be willing to accept the fact that they will never perform a fast draw like an open carry hip holster. Well, that is another class of holster altogether for an entirely different purpose. I remember my old friend, Paris Theodore, who owned Seventrees Holsters. For the record, Paris made the first pancake holsters before Roy Baker popularized them.

The only thing Baker could patent was the oval stitching around the cutouts for the belt instead of the more comprehensive traditional stitching.

Among intelligence men at the time, Paris was considered the world’s best

S R’ R E L LE UMMB THTU

American Derringer

at hiding a gun for special purposes.

They weren’t always comfortable, but that man could hide most any type of gun on most anybody. There are times when concealment is everything. You can’t walk around with a gun in a fast draw rig where you don’t want people knowing you have a gun. Ideally you will draw the gun before things get hairy, just as any soldier or lawman will do, but just having it there when you need it is the overriding concern.

Ankle carry has never been as popular as it could be because it has often been uncomfortable or even painful. The Gun Sox Stretx Holstering System changes all that and should make life a lot more pleasant for those who need to employ ankle holsters.  Editor’s note: The Gun Sox Stretx Holstering System can be found at shooting-depot.com.

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DA 38 Double Action

LM4 Semmerling We are a victim of fake news.

We are in business!

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HANDMADE FIREARMS

127 North Lacy Drive, Waco, TX 76705-4640 Call: 254-799-9111 // Fax: 254-799-7935 amderringer@aol.com // amderringer.com

American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Made of durable steel construction - heavyduty, sealed ball bearing motors - thermally protected - fast, quiet operation - 3/4 to 4 3/4 gallon capacity - industrial and rotary models available. Send for our free brochure!

TRU-SQUARE METAL PRODUCTS, INC. P.O. Box 585, Auburn, Washington 98071 TEL (253) 833-2310 or Toll Free 1-(800) 225-1017 www.thumlerstumbler.com t-tumbler@thumlerstumbler.com

“Manufacturers of quality case cleaners, deburring and tumbling equipment since 1959”

GRIPS GALLERY

EZR SPORT Shockwave Gauntlets fit on all “shockwave style” grips, with no movement or rotation of any kind when installed properly.

The gauntlets will not tear during installation, do not rotate, will not lift or peel off – and can be removed if so desired with no damage to the original grips! www.ezrsport.com

american built arms The A*B Arms SBR P*Grip is designed and engineered for AR-15-style rifles and rifle receivers designed to fit AR-15-style pistol grips.

Perfect for shooters with small to midsized hands. www.abarms.com

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American Shooting Journal // August 2019

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

BUILDING ON TARGET PAINT LINE With their signature spray for steel bull’s-eyes a success, Rainbow Technology expands with more shooting products.

PHOTOS BY RAINBOW TECHNOLOGY CORP

F

or decades, Rainbow Technology has been manufacturing chemical products spanning a great number of industries and categories.

But in 2015, Larry Joe Steeley, Jr., the company’s vice president of operations, saw a niche in the gun industry that needed filling.

“I was shooting a SASS Cowboy Action match and saw the need for a quality paint for steel targets,” he explains. “Having an extensive background in aerosol spray paints, I came up with some samples for folks to try. I got great feedback from the product trials and went right into production.

There is nothing else out there like it.”

He adds, “The experience and breadth of the product line we have developed over the last 48 years transitions well into the shooting sports industry.”

Indeed, Rainbow Technology has expanded even further into the industry with a number of products to serve shooters. These include SJC Titan compensators, Hunters HD Gold Shooting lenses, and Pro Ears hearing protection, among many others. These products and more are available at rangestore.net, the company’s web store that carries what you need to keep your shooting range, shooting club, park or private range running smoothly and looking good.

Steeley, Jr. credits Rainbow

Rainbow Technology’s firearms-related products include Hunters HD Gold Shooting lenses, Steel Target Paint in a variety of colors, Pro Ears hearing protection, and SJC Titan compensators.

Technology’s unique features, high quality, customer service and value for their success within the shooting industry. Case in point, they recently started an auto reorder program for their Steel Target Paint that their customers really like.

“Because Steel Target Paint is a consumable, our customers have a need for a regular supply,” he says.

“Once the customer sets up an account on rangestore.net, they can set the

color, quantity and frequency of the delivery to accommodate their needs.

For signing up, we offer 5 percent off plus free shipping. This makes for a great value and they don’t have to think about it anymore. Our slogan is ‘set it and forget it.’ Our customers are really taking advantage of this program and signing up!”  Editor’s note: For more information, visit rangestore.net. americanshootingjournal.com 117